


Tears and a Warm Embrace

by Jubokko



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Cuddles, Debate of How Much to Reveal to Loved Ones, Discord: Umino Hours, Feeling of Failure, Genjutsu, Kakashi and Tenzō Will Always Be There to Support Iruka, M/M, Mizuki is a Little Shit Even in Memory, Post-Mission, Remembering Mizuki, Umino Hours Winter Bingo, Winter Uniforms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27976851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jubokko/pseuds/Jubokko
Summary: Iruka slipped up during a mission and was caught by a genjutsu that forced him to relive Mizuki's betrayal.Kakashi and Tenzō are there to comfort him in the aftermath.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka/Yamato | Tenzou, Hatake Kakashi/Yamato | Tenzou, Umino Iruka/Yamato | Tenzou
Comments: 8
Kudos: 96
Collections: The Umino Hours Winter Bingo 2020





	Tears and a Warm Embrace

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kalira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/gifts).



> *waves* hello! 
> 
> This fic(let) is for the amazing Kalira as a part of the ["Spotify Wrapped"](url) ficlet challenge.  
> The number you selected was "13," which came out to be "Flow" by Todd Rundgren. The chosen pairing: KakaTenzIru.  
> I hope you like it! ❤️ "Flow" is an angst song to the core, and I really didn't have the heart to make a breakup fic~ ^^ 
> 
> This is also a part of my Iruka Winter Bingo (for the prompt: "Winter Uniforms").
> 
> Not beta-read, so please be kind to me!✨
> 
>   
> **TWs:** angst, blood
> 
> Enjoy!

Tears rolled down Iruka’s face as he curled on the mattress, arms pulling the nearest pillow closer to his chest, careful not to jostle the bandages that swathed his back where the nin had gotten past his guard. 

He felt stupid. 

Stupid and defenseless, and vulnerable. 

Images flashed through his mind’s eye: the fūma shuriken arcing through the air, Naruto’s blue eyes widening, the sneer on Mizuki’s face—

Iruka struggled to calm himself and pressed his face into the soft cotton. 

The genjutsu had snuck up on him, bleeding into his thoughts and tightening its barbed tendrils about his memories, rifling through them until it could press against a delicate fracture that could bite into his spirit—his will to fight. 

Iruka remembered pushing back against the terrible, foreign presence, feeling the distant, blazing inferno of pain arc through his body as the nin shoved his body against a tree. In his head, he could still see the blood dripping from his flak jacket, staining the snow at his feet. The nin had growled a threat into his ear and pressed the shuriken deeper into Iruka’s back as he thrashed, metal spikes drawing blood only a precious few centimeters away from the mottled scar the fūma had given him years before. 

Muttering a curse, Iruka balled up his fists and exhaled forcefully into the silence. 

There was no one at home. Kakashi was out training with Team 7 and Tenzō was doing… well, whatever his ANBU duties called for. In a profession of such nature, there was a certain degree of secrecy involved, both Iruka and Kakashi respected that.

The trust kept them together. And honesty. 

A voice in Iruka’s head whispered that he’d once trusted Mizuki, too. He pushed back at the thought. 

Trustworthy, _honest…_ Mizuki had been neither of those things. 

Iruka disliked showing strong emotion around others and had chosen to deal with his grief in solitude after Mizuki’s betrayal, taking moments to process his feelings while the other two were out. But, of course, back then he, Kakashi, and Tenzō had only just come together. They'd still been engaged in the fragile stage of discovering balance, dependency, and trust. 

For a moment, Iruka debated how much he would reveal to them upon their return. He didn’t want to hurt them or drag them down. This was his fight, _his_ failure… 

It would pass in time. 

But he, Kakashi, and Tenzō had also agreed to be honest with one another. 

And if they asked Iruka if he was okay... 

A creaking sound pulled Iruka from his thoughts, followed by the soft padding footfalls whispering down the hall. Multiple footfalls. Multiple _people_. 

_“Are you sure he’s here?”_ Came a hushed voice. 

_“Positive.”_

Big, fat tears began to dampen the pillow beneath Iruka's face, and he cursed under his breath, rolling over in order to throw his body back into the pile of messy pillows behind him, a hand scrubbing at his stubbornly-watering eyes. 

They were back, and they _knew_.

Iruka draped an arm over his face.

The door slowly swung open, squeaking softly on its hinges as they entered. Iruka could hear the faint rattle of Tenzō’s armor, and the swish of Kakashi’s thick, winter gear. 

Iruka wanted to yell and scream for them to leave; to hide his tears and not cause them pain or grief. He would always be there for his partners, just as they would always be there for him… but the thought only made the tears flow faster.

The footsteps drew closer, and a hand snaked it’s way around his middle, while another gently caressed his cheek, dabbing at the moisture there. 

For a while, Iruka lay there in silence, occasionally sniffing. Kakashi—he could tell it was Kakashi by the latticework of scars and calluses from the Chidori—was now rubbing circles into the back of his hand soothingly. 

Iruka heard Tenzō shuffle, and the soft clank of ANBU armor filled the air as the man removed himself from the outer layers of his uniform. Kakashi drew back and seemed to mirror the other, removing his flak jacket before peeling off the insulated winter layers. 

Huffing slightly, Iruka pressed his sleeve into his eyes even harder, and forced his voice even. “You two had better not have gotten the mudroom all full of melted snow again.” 

Both men froze. 

Kakashi spoke first. 

“Ma—sensei, but—“

“No ‘but’s.” Iruka cut him off. 

His voice wavered slightly and he cursed, internally. 

“You know… it’s alright.” Tenzō’s voice was hushed. “It’s alright to feel this way. You have every right to.” 

The ANBU shinobi rested his hand on Iruka’s shoulder. “We only ask… for you not feel afraid of showing it. Not to us.” 

“He’s right.” Kakashi’s low hum followed. 

Iruka felt the tears return with a vengeance, and he bit down on his lip once more. Slowly, he let his hand fall away from his face, revealing red, swollen eyes. 

Kakashi tipped over dramatically into the pillows, and scooted closer to Iruka, pulling him tight against his chest. Iruka moved closer and wrapped his arms around the jounin, pressing his forehead into the man's chest. 

Behind him, Iruka could hear Tenzō tossing the last of his uniform aside, the armor clattering to the floor. 

As the ANBU shinobi’s warmth wrapped about Iruka, gently spooning him in an embrace, Iruka let out a long breath and closed his eyes. 

He would get past this. 

He wasn’t alone. 

And they would always be there for him. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this fic/ficlet! 
> 
> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://akumu-jubokko.tumblr.com/) and a fic masterlist [here](https://akumu-jubokko.tumblr.com/post/637058745689571328/jubokko-%E6%82%AA%E5%A4%A2s-creation-masterlist-aka-laz)!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! ✨


End file.
